At Gold Buckle Futurities, the standard matters.
Every score at the Spring Showdown comes from people who know what a winning run feels like, what a great horse looks like, and how to separate polished talent from potential. This spring’s judging roster is stacked with proven competitors, respected horsemen, and industry leaders who have spent their lives in the arena.
From the calf roping and breakaway box to the team roping pen, these are names that bring credibility to every card they mark.
The 2026 Gold Buckle Futurities Spring Showdown heads to Ardmore May 6-10 with $535,000 added. Entries are open now through April 29.
Tie Down & Breakaway
Brent Lewis
When Brent Lewis watches a run, he knows exactly what it takes to win.
An 11-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and the 2000 NFR Average Champion, Brent Lewis built one of the most respected careers in calf roping. He won nearly $1.5 Million in the PRCA and set an NFR earnings record during his championship season.
Today, Lewis remains deeply connected to the horse side of the game through training and development, giving competitors a judge who values both execution and horsepower.
Bobby Lewis
There are horsemen, and then there is Bobby Lewis.
Bobby Lewis has built a career few can match, spanning cutting, cow horse, heading, heeling, tie-down roping, ranch riding, breeding, and judging. He was QData’s No. 1 Rope Horse Breeder in 2023 and has produced more than 30 AQHA World Champions.
A National Cutting Horse Association Hall of Fame inductee and 2024 Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductee, Lewis brings a rare eye, shaped by decades of winning across disciplines.
Blair Burk
Blair Burk knows what pressure looks like.
Blair Burk qualified for 14 National Finals Rodeos, topped $2 Million in career earnings, and won some of rodeo’s biggest stages, including Houston, Calgary, and Pendleton.
His background gives Gold Buckle exhibitors something valuable: a judge who understands timing, control, and the details that hold up when the lights come on.
Roger Branch
Gold Buckle welcomes back a familiar face in Roger Branch.
Branch has earned more than $490,000 in competition, qualified for the National Finals Steer Roping, and built a respected performance horse program in Oklahoma. He has judged with Gold Buckle before and knows exactly what this format asks of horses and riders.
Experience matters. Familiarity matters too.
Team Roping
C.R. Bradley
Some resumes speak for themselves.
C.R. Bradley is a National Finals Rodeo qualifier and 24-time AQHA Open World and Reserve World Champion. His success as a competitor, trainer, breeder, and exhibitor places him among the most accomplished horsemen in AQHA history.
He has judged top events around the world and remains one of the sharpest eyes in rope horse competition.
James Davison
Versatility is valuable, and James Davison has plenty of it.
James Davison has judged the NCHA World Finals, NRHA Futurity, Olympic trials, and major events across multiple disciplines. He currently serves as an Area Director for the National Cutting Horse Association.
From cutting to reining to roping, Davison understands what elite athletes look like in motion.
Dustin Searcy
Dustin Searcy brings the perspective of today’s game.
Dustin Searcy has won at every level and is known for his practical understanding of how every piece of a run has to fit together. His standout horse Rio also helped carry Wesley Thorp through the 2018 NFR.
That modern feel for mechanics, timing, and functionality makes him a strong addition to the panel.
Shannon Frascht
Shannon Frascht has lived both sides of the arena.
A longtime Prairie Circuit standout, Frascht reached the Wrangler NFR in 2006, won two rounds, and later transitioned into coaching at the collegiate level.
That blend of competitor instinct and teacher’s eye is exactly what fits futurity judging.
The Standard Is the Standard
Gold Buckle Futurities continues to raise the bar because every detail matters, including who sits behind the scorecards.
These judges know talent, reward correctness, and understand the kind of horse it takes to build the future.
The 2026 Gold Buckle Futurities Spring Showdown runs May 6-10 in Ardmore with $535,000 added. Visit the Learn page on our menu to see what goes into scoring a winning run.
